Watchman&#39;s key-box.



No. 000,090. PATENTE@ SEPT. 4, 1900.

` A. A. NEWMAN.

WATG-HMANS KEY B0X.

ABPLIGATIONYFILED JUNE 5, 1905.

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.wea/5 UNITED STATES ABRAHAM A. NEWMAN,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATCH NIANS KEY-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed June 5,1905. Serial No.263,'728.

To all whom, 7275 may concern.-

Beit known that I, ABRAHAM A. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WatchmensKey-Boxes, of which the following is a specication. y

My invention relates to improvements in watchmens key-boxes, and isfully described and explained in this specification and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of myimproved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the line2 2 of Fig. l.Fig. 3 is ahorizontalsection in the line 3 3 of Fig. I. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section in the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation ofthe lower part of the device with the front plate removed. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a portion of one of the edges of the front plate,and Fig. 7 is a section through the key-supporting device.

Referring to the drawings, A is a single sheet-metal box portion havinga flat rear a, two forwardly-projecting sides a', and aforwardly-projecting top a2. The sides a are approximately twice as wideat the top as at the bottom and are extended upward beyond the top a? toform projecting ears a, to which is pivoted a sheet-metal cover B,preferably formed of a single piece of metal bent up, as indicated.

C indicates a front plate, the same being formed of a single piece ofsheet metal. This front plate is carried back at c to close the lowerend of the box member A and is car ried down at c from the portion c,the lower end of said member being secured in place by a screw passedthrough the portion c and the lower end of the box member A into a wallor other support. Removal of the plate is prevented by covering thescrew with aseal c2, which may be of wax, lead, or any other substance,although in practice I prefer to use a piece of paper pasted over thehead of the screw, the paper being preferably written or marked in somedistinctive manner. The upper end of the front plate C is held in placeby a similar screw c3, the head of the screw being sealed, as is thelower screw. The upper end of the front plate C is notched at c4, theweb of metal knocked back from the notch being carried down to form acurved portion c5, which forms the bottom of a guide for the keysupporting flexible member.

The sides of this guide are formed by a sheetmetal member D, the upperportion of which is bent into a U shape, which surrounds the spacebehind the notch C". One arm d of the U is carried down and bent into atube d', which surrounds the screw c3, forming a tubular strut, whichbraces the front plate.

E indicates a member, preferably of wire, which acts to guide a weightand also to automatically close the cover, as will be hereinafterdescribed. This member passes through a perforation in a weight F, whichis movable in the hollow box, the structure of which has been set forth,and serves to guide said weight, the lower end of said member being bentover at e to form a weight-stop. vThe upper end of the member E iscarried through the top a2 of the case, the opposite end of the memberbeing bent back parallel to the main portion and passed down in asimilar manner. The two parallel parts of the member E are carriedforward in parallel horizontal portions c2, which reach approximately tothe front of the casing, then upward in the parallel vertical. portionsc3, and then across in a horizontal central portion e".

The end of the cover B adjacent to the pivot thereof-that is, the enddesignated in the drawings by b-is carried forward to form a lug b,which engages the loop fdrmed at the upper end of the member E, raisingthe member E a short distance when the cover is lifted up to theposition illustrated in the solid lines in the drawings.

T o the weight F is connected one end of a cord G, the opposite end ofwhich is carried to a key ITI by a link g of considerable length. Anarmor layer I in the form of a wire coil surrounds the'cord G, extendingfrom a point thereon near the weight to a point well over the upper endof the link g.

The edges of the front plate C are carried back at intervals to formlugs c, which are adapted to grasp a sheet of paper or othercomparatively soft material, which may be used, if desired, foradvertising, but which serves the particularly useful function ofprotecting the numeral, which is usually embossed on the key, fromabrasion against the metallic front of the box. y

The operation of my improved device will be readily apparent. When thecover is closed, the parts occupy the position illustrated in dottedlines in Fig. 2-01. c., the weight is at the bottom of its movement andIOO IIO

the key is raised and inclosed by the cover. When in this position, thekey is protected from abrasion and also from the accumulation of dustand dirt, which might operate to fill up the interstices of the numeralthereon. When the watchman wishes to use the key for making animpression on the paper in the clock which he carries, he raises thecover to the position shown in-solid lines in Fig. 2, whereby the loopon the weight-guided member is raised, causinU the rise of the weight.I-Ie then grasps the rey, pulling it out from the box to make hisimpression therewith. This raises the weight in the box to the positionshown in Fig. 2, the weight sliding up the member E. YV hen he isthrough with the key, he releases it, whereupon the weight falls,pulling the key back into position. The momentum of the weight exertssuilicient force on the stop to cause the cover to swing over thedead-center and fall into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.The key is thus automatically returned to position and covered up.

My device is particularly advantageous, because the key is protectedfrom abrasion and from lilling up with dirt at all times,

these results being accomplished without any ei'liort on the part of thewatchman. Boxes have heretofore been provided for receiving keys; but itis almost impossible to get a watchman to return the key to its properplace, the key being frequently left hanging on the chain, when it canswing against the wall of the building and get injured. The use of thespiral armor on the cord makes the string. run through the guide withspecial freedom and is further advantageous, because it makes itpractically impossible for the watchman to remove the key from theSupporting-cord without detection. IIeretofore chain has been used -forsupporting the key; but the great objection to this form of support liesin the fact that the watchman can separate one of the links and removethe key, carrying it around with him overnight and returning it in themorning, and only the most careful inspection will show that the changehas been made. With my device the slightest injury to the armor isreadily apparent, so that an occasional more or less casual inspectionwill be suilicient cheek upon the watchman. Moreover, if the cord towhich the key is attached is severed the weight will immediately pullthe same within the box, where it will be inaceessible to the watchmanand he will be detected.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of thisconstruction without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I donot, therefore, intend to limit myseli' to the specific form hereinshown and described.

I claim as new and desire ters Patentl. The combination with areceptacle, olt a cover for the same pivoted upon a pivot stationarywith reference to the receptacle, a key, a motor device, a flexibleconnection between the key and motor device, whereby when the key iswithdrawn 'from the receptacle power is stored in the motor device andmeans of connection between the pivoted cover and the motor devicewhereby the motor device ellects the return of the key and its inclosureby the pivoted cover.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle, a key and a motor device in which power stored by thewithdrawal of the key and a connection from the key to the motor device,of a pivoted cover, a stop for the motor device and means of connectionbetween the stop and cover whereby the motor device 'lirst returns thekey to position and subsequently actuates the cover to inclose the key.

3. In a device oi" the class described, the combination with areceptacle, a key, a flexible connection running from said key to aninaccessible point behind said receptacle, a cover for the receptaclemovable independently of the key and connection, and means whereby thereturn ot the key actuates the cover. t

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a motordevice, a stop for limiting the movement ot' the motor device in onedirection, a key and l'lexible connection between the key and the motordevice whereby when the key is moved in one direction power is stored inthe motor device to e'l'l'eet its return, of a cover arranged to inclosethe key and means elz connection between the stop and the cover.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a weight, astop ler the weight, a key, and a Vflexible connection between theweight and key, olt a cover, and means connecting the stop and cover,whereby the cover is closed when the weight reaches the stop.

6. In a device of' the class described, the combination with a verticalbox, a weight vertically movable therein, a key, means ol connectionbetween the key and weight, and a stop for the weight, of a cover hingedto the vertical box, and means el" connection between the stop andcover, operating to close thecover when the weight reaches the stop.

7. In a device oil the class described, the combination with a verticalbox, a weight movable in the box, a key outside the box and a flexibleconnection extending through an opening in the upper portion of the box,connecting the weight and key, of a cover pivoted to the top of the box,and having a llug adjacent te its pivot, a stop for" the to secure byIlet- IOO ITO

weight, a member in position to engage the lug, and means of connectionbetween the member and stop.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a key, of aflexible connection device the lower portion`of which is connected tothe key and the opposite end of which is in an inaccessible position, ofan armor for the flexible device extending to the key, the opposite endof the armor extending to an inaccessible position and said armor beingconstructed of such material as to show abrasion or mutilation readily.

9'. In a device of the class described, the combination with a key, of aflexible connec* tion device, the lower portion of which consists of acomparatively long link or loop passed through the key, and the oppositeend Aof which is in an inaccessible position, of an armor for theflexible device extending over said loop or link, the opposite end ofthe armor extending to an inaccessible position, and said armor beingconstructed of such matlerial as to show abrasion or mutilation read- 1y.

l0. In a device of the class described, the combination with a key, of aflexible connecting device, the lower end of which consists of a loop orlink, and a wire armor surrounding the flexible connecting device, oneend ofthe armor extending over said loop or link and the other followingthe flexible connecting device into an inaccessible position.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with a key, of aflexible connecting device, the lower portion fof which consists of alink or loop, an unbroken portion of which extends through said key, ofa spiral wire-coil surrounding the flexible connecting device andextending from an inaccessible position thereon well over the link orloop.

In witness whereof I have signed the above application for LettersPatent, at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, thislst day of June, A. D. 1905.

ABRAHAM A. NEWMAN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. O. SHERVEY, K. M. CoRNwALL.

